SAN LEANDRO -- Over the objections of residents and human rights groups, the city will raise the flag of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1, a day that honors the formation of the sovereign state in 1949 by communist leader Mao Zedong.

The City Council voted 4-3 Monday to approve the request by Councilman Benny Lee, a Chinese-American who said he intended the move as a sign of support for the city's growing Chinese population and a sign the city is open for Chinese business and investment. The approval -- endorsed by Lee and fellow council members Ursula Reed, Diana Souza and Jim Prola -- garnered applause, as well as boos and shouts of displeasure from a packed council chamber.

"Raising the flag gives us the opportunity to show the openness to the people of China, the business people of China, to show that we welcome that investment and we welcome the prosperity," Lee said. Raising the flag also is a way "to acknowledge and accept the people of Asian ancestry, Chinese ancestry" in San Leandro, he said.

Monday's vote became a sort of Tibet versus China showdown, with Tibetans, Tibet sympathizers and others saying the flag represents oppression and signals the city condones the actions of the Chinese government. About a dozen people rallied outside City Hall before the meeting, many draped in the Tibetan flag and carrying signs that read, "China does not practice human rights," "USA is not a property of China," and "China does not deserve this honor."

A MoveOn.org petition, launched last week by local resident Margarita Lacabe, urged the council to reject the request. It had more than 235 signatures from people worldwide by Monday night and the number grew to more than 340 Tuesday. Lacabe also blasted the proposal on her local news blog, San Leandro Talk.

The flag request rankled the Tibetan National Congress and the nonprofit Tibettruth, prompting both groups to write letters of objection to the council and post them on their websites.

Tashi Kungo, president of Tibetan Association of Northern California, told the council the flag is "stained with the blood of Tibetans, Uyghurs and Chinese" and flying it would be "endorsing this brutal regime."

Arlene Lum, president of the Asian Community Cultural Association of San Leandro, disagreed, saying, "The gesture does not represent how we feel about the politics in China. It merely shows how much we welcome the Chinese population in San Leandro, for more Chinese to invest in San Leandro, to spend their money and live here."

Giovanni Vassallo, president of the Bay Area Friends of Tibet, contended that the flag symbolizes much more.

"That Chinese flag was formed with occupation and colonization and resources extraction in mind when it included Tibet as one of the five stars without any consultation with the Tibetans," Vassallo told the council. "The People's Republic of China has consistently refused to let the Tibetans exercise their religious or political aspirations."

Tsering Dolkar, 29, also urged the council to reject the request. Dolkar was born in India after her parents fled Tibet and now works with the San Francisco Regional Tibetan Youth Congress.

"When I see this country who has given me so much, honor a country which has taken everything from me and other Tibetans living in exile and inside Tibet, I just can't take it," Dolkar said.

Council members reflected the audience's divisions in their split vote.

Prola, before casting his yes vote, said, "My vote tonight is going to be honoring the Chinese people and not the Chinese government."

Councilwoman Pauline Cutter said that while she supports the city's diversity and Chinese citizens, the flag raising "is too hurtful to too many people," and voted against it.

Also opposing the request was Councilman Michael Gregory, who cited the divisiveness of the issue, and Mayor Stephen Cassidy, who said symbols are important. "A national flag is a representation of people. It's also a representation of government," he said.

San Leandro is not the first city in the region to raise the flag of the People's Republic of China. San Francisco and Alameda have flown the flag outside City Hall on or around Oct. 1 in recent years, and Milpitas raised the flag in the late 1990s, according to media reports.

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eat dirt separatist whiners

I hope one of them does something stupid when that flag is raised, like assaulting the uniformed city workers raising the flag.

The City Council voted 4-3 Monday to approve the request by Councilman Benny Lee, a Chinese-American

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It again proves my point that no matter where they live, the Han always are loyal to their homeland before anything else. Not for any ulterior motive, but the universal affinity of the Han and Han arrogance of exhibiting that Han is a superior race and a culture!

We experienced it during the Olympic Flame's journey, where no matter what their countymen of their country of domicile thought, they went gung ho for Communist China and Han solidarity!

We already know you are a provocateur from your behavior patterns here. The irony is that you once posted a lecture about the level of debate on DFI.

image removed per violation of forum guidelines

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I'm not sure how my opening post has anything to do with the level of debate on DFI. One of the main rules of epistemology is that the level of debate is separate from the content being debated. An opening post that is not in response to any other post on the site, by definition, cannot affect the level of debate.

On the contrary, your crude attempt at an ad hominem most definitely is lowering the quality of debate on DFI. I would add that the image macro violates forum guidelines as well.

It again proves my point that no matter where they live, the Han always are loyal to their homeland before anything else. Not for any ulterior motive, but the universal affinity of the Han and Han arrogance of exhibiting that Han is a superior race and a culture!

We experienced it during the Olympic Flame's journey, where no matter what their countymen of their country of domicile thought, they went gung ho for Communist China and Han solidarity!

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In my time with the US Army I can't remember seeing one Chinese-American in uniform.

I'm not sure how my opening post has anything to do with the level of debate on DFI. One of the main rules of epistemology is that the level of debate is separate from the content being debated. An opening post that is not in response to any other post on the site, by definition, cannot affect the level of debate.

On the contrary, your crude attempt at an ad hominem most definitely is lowering the quality of debate on DFI. I would add that the image macro violates forum guidelines as well.

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I apologize for the pussy.

But I was referring to you words following the article, a cheap taunt and meant to provoke:

eat dirt separatist whiners

I hope one of them does something stupid when that flag is raised, like assaulting the uniformed city workers raising the flag.

I'm not sure how my opening post has anything to do with the level of debate on DFI. One of the main rules of epistemology is that the level of debate is separate from the content being debated. An opening post that is not in response to any other post on the site, by definition, cannot affect the level of debate.

On the contrary, your crude attempt at an ad hominem most definitely is lowering the quality of debate on DFI. I would add that the image macro violates forum guidelines as well.

Click to expand...

I am sure you posted it to show how the Han reign supreme, even in foreign lands.

Got the point.

Said so many a time, but you all refuted it, to only agree with me now!

San Leandro mayor suspends decision to fly the red flag on China's national day
In what turned to be a setback for San Leandro council member Benny Lee the city's mayor Stephen Cassidy has suspended the implementation of Lee's proposal to raise the Chinese national flag atop San Leandro city hall on October 1, China's national day, after protests from Tibetans and supporters.

Tibetans and supporters in San Francisco on Monday protested outside the City Hall of San Leandro where four out of the seven members voted in favor of Lee's proposed bill.

Tibetans and their supporters carried out a series of direct protests across the Bay Area followed by intense lobbying of local politicians to defeat the resolution. Around 30 Tibetans were present in the hall during the proceedings which saw 5 Tibetans speak before the council consisting of seven members.

The resolution was supported by the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. Similar resolutions are reportedly being introduced in San Francisco, Oakland and Alameda.

Petitions were sent to call on Mayor Cassidy to defeat the resolution. Cassidy himself voted against the resolution but went short of a vote to defeat it.

Kunjo Tashi, the president of the Tibetan Association of Northern California said such meddling by China into local government affairs in America should not be tolerated. "We are pleased that Mayor of San Leandro City has upheld the principles of democracy that America is known for. We appreciate Mayor Cassidy for his courage and exemplary action against the forces undermining American democracy."

The newly formed Tibetan National Congress, - a group comprising of Tibetan and foreign supporters of independence for Tibet as opposed to the exile Tibetan government's middle way approach of seeking autonomy from China - has also thanked Mayor Cassidy for his action on its website.

SF Team Tibet is a coalition of four groups, Tibetan Association of Northern California, Students for a Free Tibet, San Francisco Tibetan Youth Congress and Bay Area Friends of Tibet.

In 1836, Juan Alvarado and Isaac Graham led a revolution against Mexican rule. During this first revolt, rebels were able to capture Monterey and declared California "a free and sovereign state". Although their rebellion failed to secure independence for California, it inspired the design of the flag of the Bear Flag Revolt. The Lone Star Flag of California contained a single red star on a white background;